Christine Bryden's brain scan (left) shows significant atrophy compared to the image of a person without dementia (right). Photo: Australian Story

Scans of Mrs Bryden’s brain show the organ has shrunk significantly compared to a person without the condition.

Leading dementia researcher John Hodges said he would expect someone with that kind of brain atrophy to be far more impaired, suffering from major memory loss, disorientation and difficulty communicating.

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Instead, Mrs Bryden, a former high-level bureaucrat who advised former prime ministers, can walk, talk, read and write and forces herself to learn a new task each day.

‘‘She is certainly an outlier and an extremely unusual medical case,’’ said Professor Hodges, from Neuroscience Research Australia.

‘‘I don’t want people to fear dementia or be isolated’’: Christine Bryden with her husband Paul. Photo: Australian Story

Tonight’s episode of Australian Story tells the story of how when doctors diagnosed Mrs Bryden with early onset dementia, a disease that has no cure and usually progresses quickly so the person needs constant care after five to ten years, she became determined to fight her "horrific" prognosis, and to fight on behalf of others with dementia.

While ‘‘old Christine’’, as Mrs Bryden calls herself, had a prodigious memory and could think fast, talk fast – often at the same time –her dementia symptoms are considerably milder than most people in her situation.

‘‘I seem to be a bit of a puzzle,’’ she said.

Since her diagnosis, Mrs Bryden has spent much of her time advocating for better treatment and care for the roughly 320,000 Australians with a form of dementia, of which Alzheimer's disease is the most common.

‘‘I don’t want people to fear dementia or be isolated in our society,’’ she said.

Mrs Bryden also believes newly diagnosed dementia patients should be given brain rehabilitation therapy, similar to stroke patients.

Professor Hodges said there was some preliminary evidence that keeping the mind active in early stages of the disease may improve a person's brain function and slow their decline.

The latest federal budget set aside $200 million to boost research in dementia prevention, treatment and management.